PONCA CITY, Okla. — During the raid of a Ponca City marijuana grow facility, the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and several other agencies seized more than 11,000 illegal marijuana plants.

The raid took place on April 9 near W South Avenue and Ranch Drive in Ponca City and resulted in five arrests as well as the confiscation of 11,269 plants and 477 lbs. of processed marijuana.

According to investigators, the grow operation had no indicators of being lawful and didn’t have an active Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority license, an active registration with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs or any legally tagged marijuana plants.

“Our investigators found absolutely nothing to suggest this facility made even a token effort to appear legitimate, meaning the marijuana seized was likely headed for the black market,” said Attorney General Gentner Drummond. “I applaud the Organized Crime Task Force and the federal, state and local law enforcement entities that came together for this operation. The message must be clear to drug traffickers: Get out of Oklahoma.”

Alongside OCTF, the other agencies involved in the raid included Kay County Sheriff’s Office, Ponca City Police Department, 8th District Attorney Drug and Major Crime Task Force, Oklahoma National Guard, FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.